: Re: Using colons and semi-colons in dialogue I've often heard writers say they don't like using colons and semi-colons in dialogue specifically. I don't often see colons and semi-colons in dialogue,

@Eichhorn147

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Is using colons and/or semicolons in dialogue awkward? No. Using them is fine. To me at least, every one of the above quotes looks perfectly natural. I agree that trying to find another way to write them would be difficult, and in some cases, may even harm the flow of writing by using something unnatural.

It all comes down to what works best for what you are writing. Even very successful authors will sometimes bypass the rules of grammar (or widely accepted rules of writing) briefly, just because it makes their story more powerful. (I regret I cannot give you any examples off the top of my head. If you read closely, you should find them.)

Grammar is a great tool for keeping your writing in a format that is easily understood by all. When you're writing though, be sure to put the words on the page before the correct way to put them there. I love grammar, but sometimes making sure you have perfect punctuation will make your words lack just that: Perfection.

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